Works on Kasubi tombs in final stage

Kampala- The Katikkiro of Buganda Kingdom, Mr Charles Peter Mayiga, has said Kasubi tombs, a cultural tourism site, will soon be reopened.
“It’s very encouraging [although] it has taken us a while to get to this stage and the factors for the apparent delay are obvious,” Mr Mayiga said on Friday after touring the tombs.

He blamed the delays on technical work that requires a lot of skill “because the reeds that form part of the walls and roof call for specialised people.”

“The tombs aren’t a big hut, but the resting place of kings, there are rituals and values, lots of intangibles have to be considered. It’s a huge task and you must do it carefully, diligently to ensure that you get out the right results,” Mr Mayiga said.

Kasubi tombs were torched on March 16, 2010, nine years after United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) declared it a world heritage site.

Government donated Shs2 billion towards its reconstruction and another Shs2b was raised by the kingdom, including through its ettofaali proceeds and donations from well wishers across the globe.

The kingdom expects another $500,000 (about Shs1.8b) that will be channelled through Unesco from the Japanese government.

In 2013, Mr Mayiga blamed the delay on radical kingdom traditionalists.
“I am passionate about safeguarding our norms and culture, but I don’t want anyone to hide under this to fail our efforts to reconstruct the tombs,” he said in 2013 during a tour of the tombs with his cabinet.

The tombs were built by Kabaka Mukaabya Walugembe Muteesa I in 1856.
Kabaka Ronald Mutebi in his 2017 Christmas message hoped that the reconstruction would be completed last year.

Unesco declared it a heritage centre for its creative genius and an exceptional testimony of the cultural traditions.

[email protected]